


Baby It's Cold Outside

by Anonymous43



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-06
Updated: 2014-01-06
Packaged: 2018-01-07 18:29:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1122986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anonymous43/pseuds/Anonymous43
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Ziam one shot in which: Zayn is home alone for the holidays and finally decides to go out and change that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Baby It's Cold Outside

December hits with freezing weather and snow, lots of it. Smoke exits chimneys and paints the skies even grayer than normal, not the mention the ice covering the streets and walks are dirtied with grime and dirt. It’s not the prettiest holiday season that’s hit. There’s no white perfect fluffy snow or children out making snow men. It’s far too cold for that anyway, a mere six degrees and dropping every day. For the most part people are inside, staying warm and huddling together. Business and companies close some days for weather conditions and the schools are out almost once a week. The town looks lived in by ghosts, the streets are empty and the closed signs hang in the windows.

Zayn’s cheeks seem even sharper in the gray weather, more defined, and the winter makes him feel extremely small. He hasn’t left his small apartment in days, surely because he hates the thought of his skin stinging in the cold. It’s rather lonely in his quaint little place though and far too quiet for his liking. His best friends, Louis and Harry, went on a Holiday vacation to the tropics and aren’t planning to come home until after New Year. And since they are gone and University is out, Zayn simply has nothing to do.

Of course he has thought of going home for the holidays to see his mom and sisters, maybe making cookies like they used to when they were younger. But there is still a terrible anger in his chest and he can’t get himself to schedule a train ride home. The last time he saw his family was nearly a two years ago when his mother re-married. Zayn hates the guy of course, but it wasn’t his choice. It was his mother’s. Zayn attempted to tell himself that he was happy with it. He tried to live by the idea of as long as she is happy I’m happy. But it simply doesn’t work that way and he can’t seem to even think about facing his mother right now. So he stays home in his small little apartment and sketches the view from his large window in his bedroom.

The window is one of the main reasons Zayn bought this small apartment in the first place. The entire back wall of his room is made of glass. Through the window you have a rather good view of the park, which is now looking quite like a gray version of a winter wonderland. Today he sits on his old drawing desk and stares out the window, watching as single people slowly make their way across the park walkways. Zayn’s feet are covered in these fuzzy socks that Harry gave him and there is a steaming mug of coffee sitting on the corner of his desk. It’s a really nice day and sometime in the afternoon, although Zayn has no real perception of the time. After all, he has been sitting here since he woke up other than the occasional trip to the kitchen or bathroom. His phone buzzes in his sweat pants pocket and he pulls it out after finishing a detailed sketch of the willow tree that sits on the edge of the park’s boundaries. His phone lights up his face as he reads the name that shines on his screen. It’s Louis, probably calling to say that their vacation is going well and that it’s so warm. A pang of jealousy hits Zayn but he answers anyway, because Louis is one of his best friends and he can’t find the strength to hit the decline button. Plus he misses him and wants to hear his voice. 

“Hey mate,” Zayn answers, taking a drink of his coffee that smells like hazel nut.

“How are things back at home?” Louis asks. Zayn can hear a smile in Louis’ voice and he can also hear that Louis already knows the answer to the question. Cold. Wet. Gross.

“Pretty winter-ish,” Zayn puts the phone between his ear and his shoulder in order to keep sketching, “It’s boring around here without you and Haz to create trouble,”

Louis laughs brightly through the phone, “You just need to learn how to make new friends and get out on the scene. I mean, for Christ’s sake Zayn. It’s been months since you’ve been on a date,”

Zayn rolls his eyes because every time he has a conversation with Louis the topic ends up back here. It’s a little silly really, but Zayn says, “Louis, you know I’ve been busy with University work. You know that. It’s hard to date and keep up on Uni work at the same time. It’s too much to think about all the time.”

“Well normal people handle it,”

“Then maybe I’m not normal. Shut it Lou,”

“Anyway, I was just calling to check in,” Louis continues, “I hope everything is well. I expect to see a whole portfolio of drawings when I return. Am I correct?”

Zayn smiles, “Yeah, of course,”

“Okay. Great. I have to go. Harry and I are going to go down to the bar by the beach and have tropical drinks and watch the sun set,”

“Romantic,” Zayn coos.

“Indeed,” Louis agrees, “I’ll talk to you later mate,”

“Bye, Lou,”

Zayn hangs up and immediately begins to put his drawing things away. Louis is right. He’s being a boring and only bringing this loneliness on himself. It’s rather silly of him. So Zayn changes into clothes that are more publically acceptable than sweatpants, huge fuzzy socks, and a shirt that is probably three sizes too big and slips on his shoes. After adding gloves and a hat to his ensemble, he steps out of his apartment for the first time in about a week. It’s freezing of course and the air immediately bites his noise and lips. Zayn’s eyes widen as he stares out across the street. It’s empty.

He begins to head around the apartment complex and towards the park. He’s not exactly sure where he is going but he just doesn’t want to sit around anymore. His mind flashes to Harry and Louis drinking on the beach and watching the sunset in just swim trunks and jealousy rumbles in his stomach again. The slush beneath his shoes splats to the side each step he takes. It’s such a tedious process. 

Across the park is a string of shops all lit up with Christmas lights and a few open signs. Maybe a little Christmas shopping could occupy him. Somehow he crosses the park without slipping on ice and ends up in the art shop he visits regularly. It used to be an old bookstore so it has the perfect smell and old wooden floors and shelves and old paintings hanging on the walls. In Zayn’s mind there isn’t a better place in the world.

“Hi Zayn,” The clerk’s name is Niall, a boy who is constantly bouncing around and cheerful, “You in for some more charcoal?”

“Not today,” Zayn says, “I’m probably just going to look around. Maybe get some gifts for my friends,”

“Sounds good to me,"

So Zayn heads down his favorite aisle that’s full of different pencils and charcoals and erasers that are gummy and fun. He picks up an old pack of beginners pencils and thinks about buying them for Louis. After all, that boy loves looking at all of Zayn’s art and he is always asking how he is able to draw so well. Maybe these pencils will inspire Louis to draw for himself. Zayn smiles to himself and turns around to go pay for them when he runs right into a guy carrying a bunch of stacked boxes. Zayn immediately falls backwards and lands on his bum, getting covered in packs of different papers and pencil sharpeners. 

“Ouch,” Zayn mumbles.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” The voice says. Zayn had thought the person was Niall, but it definitely isn’t. If he had run into Niall, the blonde boy would be on the ground too, and Niall would be laughing hysterically. Zayn wonders who it is, because who else even works here? He only knows Niall and the owner. “Here, let me help you up,” A hand is then pushed in front of Zayn’s face and he looks up to figure out who this mystery guy is. Zayn’s heart gets caught up in his throat. The guy is beautiful. He has these big brown eyes and perfect short hair and he is a little geeky looking with a sweater vest and loafers. Zayn has never seen him before. He accepts the hand and stands up, wiping his pants off and retrieving the pencils he still wants from the piles of paper and packages. “Are you okay? I’m so sorry!”

“It’s perfectly fine,” Zayn says, “I’m alright,”

Niall is running towards them, caught off by the commotion and he says, “Damn it Liam, seriously mate? Now we have to re-box all of them and pay for Zayn’s injuries!” He throws his hands into the air like a little drama queen. Zayn smirks.

The boy, Liam, blushes and drops his head, “I’m sorry Ni,”

“Forget it,” Niall says, “It’s fine,”

Zayn jumps in, “I’m okay too, Niall. Here, let me help,”

The three of them drop to the ground and begin to re-box all of the papers and pencils. It takes a solid ten minutes but soon enough everything is cleaned up and put back into their respective box. The three lads stand and wipe off their pants. Zayn still wants to know who this new guy is.

“Niall, uh, who is this?” Zayn tries to act as polite as possible.

“Oh,” Niall smiles and puts his arm around the strangers shoulders, “This is Liam. He’s my step brother. We don’t live together but he’s here for the Holidays. You know, just to visit. The owner told me he could work with me to earn some extra money,”

“Ah,” Zayn says, “It’s nice to meet you Liam,” He sticks his hand out slowly.

Liam smiles and then reaches forward, shaking his hands and staring at their connected hands. Zayn does the same thing too, because their complexions look really perfect together and it’s kind of beautiful. Niall kind of interrupts their moment by blurting out, “So what are you up to these days Zayn?”

“Honestly nothing much,” Zayn replies pulling his hand back to him and catching Liam’s eye. Liam looks at the floor. “Louis and Harry are on vacation so I’ve been pretty lonely,”

“Well Liam and I were just about to close up and grab a bite to eat,” Niall says, “Want to join?”

That’s how Zayn ends up sitting at a small table across from Liam and Niall as they sip on their drinks and wait for their food. Niall is basically holding a conversation with himself and telling some story of something that happened last year around Christmas. Maybe it’s something about his tree catching on fire in his living room. Honestly, Zayn isn’t sure. He is too busy staring at Niall’s step brother. Liam is just so gentle and flawless and sitting rather close to him, accidentally bumping knees with him under the table every once in awhile. It’s driving Zayn crazy because he just wants to ask Liam about everything and learn about him and figure out what makes him tick. Niall seems completely oblivious to what’s going on beside him.

Finally when the food comes Niall shuts up. Liam and Zayn both try to focus on their food but it doesn’t really work. Their feet end up tangling up under the table and Zayn’s heart starts to beat more than it has in a long time. He feels so strange, to be acting like this with an almost complete stranger. But he can’t help it.

“I have to head over to my mom’s and help her set up some decorations,” Niall says as they pay the bill, “You coming Liam or do you have other things planned?”

Before Liam can say anything Zayn says, “I can show him around town maybe?”

And somehow, by fate or luck, Zayn and Liam end up walking towards the park shoulder to shoulder. 

“So you’ve lived here for how long?” Liam asks as he kicks a chunk of gray ice off the sidewalk. 

“Since I started Uni,” Zayn says, “I live in that apartment complex on the other side of the park,” He points to show Liam, “My best friends Harry and Louis live in the apartment next to mine,”

“That’s awesome,” Liam smiles, “I really like this little town. I’m actually thinking about moving in. I mean, I love everything back at home too, but Niall and I are pretty close and I miss him when I’m too far away,” Zayn smiles, because it’s all so sweet. Plus the idea of Liam living close to him gives him hope. He’s just so handsome and sweet. “So, you like to draw?” Liam asks with a soft smile. 

Zayn nods, “I visit Niall at least once a week. I always need some sort of supplies,”

“That’s awesome,” Liam says, “Do you think I could maybe see some of your work?”

That’s how they end up back in Zayn’s little apartment with the fire place on and the heat blasting. Zayn pulls off his coat and puts it on the hanger, offering to take Liam’s as well. Zayn slowly leads Liam into his bedroom and towards the corner where piles of sketches and paintings are stacked. His desk is also covered. Liam immediately begins to go through them his eyes trained on them and his hands running over the surface. Zayn watches, a little nervous. No one normally looks at his art other than Harry and Louis. This feels a lot different. There is also a part of Zayn that really wants to impress Liam.

“They are all really amazing,” Liam says, “Who is this?” He holds up a sketch of Louis laughing and holding his stomach happily.

“That’s Louis,” Zayn says.

“So this must be Harry?” He holds up another sketch.

“Yeah,”

They hang out for a little longer and share hot coca while watching a few episodes of cartoons while chatting absent mindedly. Zayn hasn’t felt this at ease with anyone other than Louis or Harry for two years. 

When it’s late and Liam has to go home they both head towards the door. Before they open it Zayn looks out the window. A giggle bursts out of his mouth and he grabs his stomach and points, “Liam, look!” 

It has been snowing the entire time Zayn and Liam got to know each other and now there is a huge blanket of snow covering the streets. In other words, there is no way Liam is going home tonight.

“I don’t have a spare room,” Zayn mumbles, “Uh, I’ll sleep on the couch?”

Liam shakes his head no. 

That night Zayn sleeps next to Liam in his bed because Liam refused to do it any other way. Zayn sleeps so well and wakes up early and very refreshed. He leaves Liam to rest some more and sits at his drawing desk. It’s time to sketch someone else. Someone new. It’s time to sketch Liam.

It doesn’t take long, after all, Liam’s beautiful structure is perfect. It’s a artists paradise. The sketch is perfect. He sets it among his others and heads to work on breakfast. 

He sets his small wooden table and pulls back the blinds to add with the affect. Then he places all the food equally on the plates and is just about to go and wake Liam when there is a squeak from the floor boards behind him. 

“You drew me,”

Zayn turns around and is greeted by Liam’s beautiful figure, shirtless, holding the sketch that had only just been finished about a half an hour ago. Zayn smiles, “Uh, yeah I did. D’you like it?”

Liam nods, “Can I keep it?”

“Of course,”

They sit and eat. Liam says that Zayn is a great cook.

It’s beautiful and warm inside and neither Zayn nor Liam want to leave. They spend the day together again. And then the next night. And then the next day. Nothing stops them from this cycle until Niall calls one day. He asks if Liam’s okay. Of course Zayn says he is fine. It’s all perfect. Niall then says, “Are you fucking him? Malik, you sly dog,”

Zayn hangs up the phone.

Liam and Zayn kiss a week after they meet. They spend Christmas together and go to Niall’s house in the evening for dinner. It’s all really beautiful. 

Somehow love comes out of this friendship, and the sketching, and when Louis and Harry return home and visit Zayn, Liam is sitting on his lap and they are watching television. Louis immediately wants to know everything.

“We just locked ourselves in here together,” Liam says.

“It was cold outside,” Zayn kisses Liam’s cheek and pulls him closer. The holidays will never be lonely again.


End file.
